Rico Dowdle

Pittsburgh Steelers, Running Back
Age: 28y-2m-14d (Jan 06, 1998)
Exp: 6 Years
Country: US
College: South Carolina
Drafted: Undrafted, DAL, 2020
Agent(s): David Canter, Ness Mugrabi (Aura Sports Group)
2026 Cap Hit

$3,750,000

2026 Cash

$6,250,000

Career Earnings

$9,778,838

2026-2027 Free Agent (CURRENT)

Rico Dowdle signed a 2 year, $12,250,000 contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including $5,000,000 signing bonus, $5,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $6,125,000. In 2026, Dowdle will earn a base salary of $1,250,000 and a signing bonus of $5,000,000, while carrying a cap hit of $3,750,000 and a dead cap value of $5,000,000.
Contract Terms:
2 yr(s) / $12,250,000
Average Salary:
$6,125,000
Signing Bonus:
$5,000,000
GTD at Sign:
$5,000,000
Total GTD:
$5,000,000
Free Agent:
2028 / UFA
MANAGE CONTRACT
Year Age Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Cash Annual Cash Cumulative Dead Cap Annual
2026 28 $3,750,000 1.25% $6,250,000 $6,250,000 $5,000,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 1 YR, $6,250,000; $2,500,000 DEAD CAP
2027 29 $8,500,000 2.63% $6,000,000 $12,250,000 $2,500,000
2028 30
UFA
Year Age Base P5 Salary Signing Proration Cap Hit Cap % League Dead Cap
2026 28 $1,250,000 $2,500,000 $3,750,000 1.25% $5,000,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 1 YR, $6,250,000; $2,500,000 DEAD CAP
2027 29 $6,000,000 $2,500,000 $8,500,000 2.63% $2,500,000
2028 30
UFA
Year Age Base P5 Salary Signing Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining
2026 28 $1,250,000 $5,000,000 $6,250,000 $6,250,000 $12,250,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 1 YR, $6,250,000; $2,500,000 DEAD CAP
2027 29 $6,000,000 - $6,000,000 $12,250,000 $6,000,000
Source: NFL contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2025-2025 Free Agent

Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $2,750,000
Average Salary:
$2,750,000
Signing Bonus:
$1,000,000
GTD at Sign:
$2,750,000
Total GTD:
$2,750,000
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
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2024-2024 Free Agent

Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $1,255,000
Average Salary:
$1,255,000
Signing Bonus:
$200,000
GTD at Sign:
$200,000
Total GTD:
$200,000
Free Agent:
2025 / UFA
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2023-2023 Pending Free Agent Extension

Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $1,040,000
Average Salary:
$1,040,000
Signing Bonus:
$100,000
GTD at Sign:
$100,000
Total GTD:
$100,000
Free Agent:
2024 / UFA
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2020-2022 undrafted

Contract Terms:
3 yr(s) / $2,295,000
Average Salary:
$765,000
Signing Bonus:
$10,000
GTD at Sign:
$110,000
Total GTD:
$110,000
Free Agent:
2023 / UFA
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Seasons

6 Years

Career Earnings thru 2026

$9,778,838

Earnings w/ Different Teams

2 teams

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2020 22
Active
$718,838
$718,838
2021 23
Injured
$440,000
$1,158,838
2022 24
Injured
$825,000
$1,983,838
2023 25
Active
$1,040,000
$3,023,838
2024 26
Active
$1,255,000
$4,278,838
2025 27
Active
$5,500,000
$9,778,838
Total      
$9,778,838
$9,778,838
2026 28
Active
$6,250,000
2027 29
Active
$6,000,000
Total
$22,028,838

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
5 $3,870,000 $310,000 - - - $98,838 $4,278,838
1 $1,170,000 $1,000,000 - - $30,000 $2,750,000 $5,500,000
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Workout Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2020
22
$610,000
$10,000
$98,838
$718,838
$718,838
2021
23
$440,000
$440,000
$1,158,838
2022
24
$825,000
$825,000
$1,983,838
2023
25
$940,000
$100,000
$1,040,000
$3,023,838
2024
26
$1,055,000
$200,000
$1,255,000
$4,278,838
2025
27
$1,170,000
$1,000,000
$30,000
$2,750,000
$5,500,000
$9,778,838
Total
$5,040,000
$1,310,000
$30,000
$2,848,838
$9,778,838
$9,778,838
2026
28
$1,250,000
$5,000,000
$6,250,000
2027
29
$6,000,000
$6,000,000
Total
$12,290,000
$6,310,000
$30,000
$2,848,838
$22,028,838

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
5 $3,870,000 $310,000 - - - $98,838 $4,278,838
1 $1,170,000 $1,000,000 - - $30,000 $2,750,000 $5,500,000

Injuries

Year Weeks Reason
2022 DAL 6 - 18 Ankle
2021 DAL 1 - 18 Hip
  • Mar 09, 2026 Signed a 2 year $12.25 million contract with Pittsburgh (PIT)
  • Nov 07, 2025 Fined $14,491 Obscene Gesture against Green Bay (GB)
  • Mar 12, 2025 Signed a 1 year $2.75 million contract with Carolina (CAR)
  • Mar 18, 2024 Signed a 1 year $1.255 million contract with Dallas (DAL)
  • Mar 21, 2023 Signed a 1 year $1.04 million contract with Dallas (DAL)
  • May 05, 2020 Signed a contract with Dallas (DAL)

Fines

Date Reason Fine Amount
Nov 07, 2025 Obscene Gesture against Green Bay (GB) $14,491
Fines: 1 $14,491
Year Team GP GS Snaps Snaps% Rush Attempts Rush Yards Rush Yards/Gm Rush Touchdowns Rec Targets Rec Receptions Rec Yards Rec Yards/Rec Rec Yards/Gm Rec Touchdowns Fum
2025 CAR 17 11 591 55.75 236 1,076 63.3 6 50 39 297 7.6 17.5 1 2
2024 DAL 16 15 636 54.45 235 1,079 67.4 2 49 39 249 6.4 15.6 3 3
2023 DAL 16 0 247 20.86 89 361 22.6 2 22 17 144 8.5 9.0 2 1
2022 DAL 5 0 6 0.52 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
2020 DAL 15 0 16 1.40 7 24 1.6 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0

Calculated Market Value

$6.5M Avg. Annual Salary

Market Value

  • 2 years, $13,086,700
  • Avg. Salary: $6,543,350
  • NFL Rank: 404
  • RB Rank: 21

Current Contract

  • Free Agent: 2028
  • Avg. Salary: $6,125,000
  • NFL Rank: 419
  • RB Rank: 22

Comparable Players

We've selected the following players based on their age, contract status, and statistical production to compare Rico Dowdle to.

Player Length Value Avg. Salary Age When Signed
Devin Singletary 3 $16,500,000 $5,500,000 26
Alexander Mattison 1 $1,337,500 $1,337,500 26
Najee Harris 1 $5,250,000 $5,250,000 27
D'Andre Swift 3 $24,000,000 $8,000,000 25
Averages 2 $11,771,875 $5,021,875 26.0

Base Calculated Value

After adjusting the above contracts as if signed at Dowdle's current age (28), a linear regression is performed, providing us with the following initial value.

Length Value Avg. Salary
2 $12,808,750 $6,404,375

Statistical Comparisons

Now we'll compare our variables and Dowdle statistically over the two seasons prior to their signing. In this case we're analyzing: GP%, Snaps %, Rush Yds/Gm, TD/Gm, Rec/Gm, Rec Yds/Gm, Fum/Gm, Rating

Player GP% Snaps % Rush Yds/Gm TD/Gm Rec/Gm Rec Yds/Gm Fum/Gm Rating
Devin Singletary
2022-2023
 100.00 60.40 52.03 0.30 2.06 14.33 0.12 73.35
Alexander Mattison
2023-2024
 88.24 45.60 37.33 0.27 2.20 16.20 0.13 61.60
Najee Harris
2023-2024
 100.00 51.75 61.12 0.41 1.91 13.32 0.06 78.00
D'Andre Swift
2022-2023
 88.24 44.65 53.03 0.47 2.90 20.10 0.13 72.25
Average 94.12 50.60 50.88 0.36 2.27 15.99 0.11 71.30
Rico Dowdle
2024-2025
 97.06 55.00 65.30 0.36 2.36 16.55 0.15 69.15
Pct Change 3.12 8.70 28.34 0.00 3.96 3.50 -36.36 -3.02
Median Prime % Change 3.31%
Average Prime % Change 1.03%

Calculated Market Value: Rico Dowdle

After applying our Prime % figures into our base calculated value, we're given two values. The average of these values becomes our current calculated market value.

Terms Avg. Salary
2 years, $13,086,700 $6,543,350
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